LESSON PLANS THE NORTH WEST MOUNTED POLICE: RECRUITMENT Recommended grades: 6 -12 Time required: 45 minute class lessons Materials: Images (Choice of students), Formatting paper (11X17 - cardstock or firm paper) Pencils, Markers, Computer fonts, Glue, Map of Canada - 1873 INTRODUCTION When the North West Mounted Police were formed in 1873, the objective of the force was to bring law and order to the Canadian west. As a new force, they needed to recruit young, healthy, hardworking men who were willing to endure hard conditions and follow strict protocol. To do this, the Canadian Government sent out Recruitment and Propaganda posters to try and gain interest in this newly founded force. OBJECTIVES At the end of this lesson, students will be able to: Understand the general history of the North West Mounted Police and why they were formed. Recognize why the NWMP were so important in the formation and protection of the Canadian west and what their role in bringing the nation together was. How recruitment was organized and the role it played in the creation of the force. IMAGES Please have students choose and print images from this section Map Showing NWMP Outposts and Patrols [detail] 1886 Collection of Glenbow Library, G3471-F82-1886-C212 The railway reached the western provinces by 1885, and thousands of newcomers moved in to farm and ranch. A new system of patrols and small outposts was put in place so the NWMP could stay in close touch with these newcomers. Two or three Police were stationed at each small post (red flag on map), and they did daily patrols on horseback (marked in white) throughout the region. They watched for cattle thieves and illegal liquor, kept informed of local events, helped put out dangerous prairie fires and sometimes delivered mail. Richard Barrington Nevitt Canadian (1850-1928) First Whiskey Spilled, 1874 watercolour and pencil on paper Collection of Glenbow Museum, 74.7.11 The Hudson’s Bay Company no longer controlled trade by 1870, and new traders brought whiskey to exchange for buffalo robes. The whiskey trade brought terrible changes to the First Nations. To stop this deadly whiskey trade, the Canadian government established the North-West Mounted Police. NWMP surgeon Richard Nevitt observed the Police destroying some of that illegal whiskey (transported in large metal cans) and recorded the event in his painting. North-West Mounted Police Jack Spurs ca. 1880 Collection of Glenbow Museum, C-22098 A, C-22098 B Spurs were an important part of the tools used by the NWMP. They were a mounted, cavalry-style force and used horses to patrol the open prairies and to travel the distances between the Police posts. The rider used spurs to help guide and control the horse. These straight shanked spurs were used by Fred Bagley when he was a Constable and then a Corporal before 1884. North-West Mounted Police Constable’s Helmet ca. 1890s Collection of Glenbow Museum, C-4142 Designed for British military use in tropical countries, the pith helmet is made of cork, covered with white cotton, and ventilated at the crown. The NWMP used the pith helmet during the hot summers on the prairies. It provided shade for the face and neck, and air could circulate throughout the helmet. A cloth covered cap was usually screwed onto the vent, but for special occasions it was replaced by a brass spike. North-West Mounted Police Badge for Sergeant’s Binocular Pouch ca. 1884 Collection of Glenbow Museum, C-22179 A-B The youngest person to join the original NWMP force used this badge as a souvenir later in his life. Fifteen year old Fred Bagley joined the force in 1873 as bugler. By 1884 he was a sergeant and was issued this badge on his binocular pouch. The fancy initials are entwined to make an interesting design. Above the initials is the St. Edward’s crown, known as the Queen’s crown, and it was used on military equipment during the reign of Queen Victoria. Bagley added the painted date 1874 to commemorate the year he arrived in the West. North-West Mounted Police Constable William Hill Metzler ca. 1881 Collection of Glenbow Archives, NA-2252-1 This young constable is wearing the full dress uniform now in Glenbow Museum’s collection. Look for the photograph of the tunic (C- 54489 A). Constable Metzler’s helmet and gauntlets look ready for review – the brass link covered chin strap is draped across the helmet, and the gauntlets are whitened for parade. The NWMP wore full dress uniforms for special occasions such as honour guards for a visiting dignitary. Steele and Wing, Winnipeg (photographer} North-West Mounted Policeman ca.1890 Collection of Glenbow Archives, NA-2889-5 What rank is this Mounted Policeman? Look closely at his uniform, and especially the sleeves. He has two chevrons or v-shaped badges on his right arm, but there are no fancy Austrian knots on either sleeve. The two chevrons pointing down indicate that he is a corporal, one rank higher than a constable. The lack of extra trim on his sleeves and collar indicate that he is wearing his working uniform called his undress (rather than dress) uniform. We don’t know his name, but a professional itinerant photographer took this photograph about 1890. North-West Mounted Policeman Fred Bagley 1884 Collection of Glenbow Archives, NA-993-1 Fred Bagley began his Mounted Police career as a bugler, and was the youngest of the ‘originals’ to sign up in 1873. In this photo, Bagley is 26 years old and has recently received a promotion. He wears his badge of rank on his right sleeve – how many chevrons do you see? The three chevrons, surrounded by a crown, indicate that Bagley was now a Sergeant in the North-West Mounted Police. He wears a full-dress uniform, complete with his sergeant’s sword. North-West Mounted Police Members of Steele’s Scouts 1885 Collection of Glenbow Archives, NA-936-22 Sam Steele was asked to lead a special scouting group as part of General Strange’s Alberta Field Force. Their orders were to find the Nehiwyan (Cree) band that had killed people at Frog Lake and taken others as prisoners. Mounted Police volunteers joined selected civilians to help Steele in the search. One of Steele’s trusted Sergeants, William Fury, transferred from Beaver Creek to join the Campaign on the prairies. Can you find Sgt. Fury by ‘reading’ the rank on his uniform? From a sketch by Henri Julien Canadian (1852-1908) North-West Mounted Police and Prisoner engraving published January 21, 1882, Canadian Illustrated News Collection of Glenbow Archives, NA-1406-180 An artist sketched this scene of an armed North-West Mounted Police Constable guarding a prisoner as he did chores at the Police headquarters in Fort Macleod. The artist’s depiction of the Natives is unlike what he could have seen in southern Alberta, but some NWMP prisoners did wear a ball and chain to prevent them from escaping. From a sketch by Richard Barrington Nevitt North-West Mounted Police Horses ca. 1876 Collection of Glenbow Archives, NA-1434-10 NWMP Dr. Richard Nevitt sketched two horses saddled with the stock saddle (left) and the original British Cavalry Universal Pattern saddle (right). The stock saddle has a high horn to which the rider has fastened the reins. The artist did not show that the cantle (back of the seat) was about the same height as the horn, but he did show the wide leather skirts and large wooden stirrups. In the cold weather, those wooden stirrups did not get as cold as the metal stirrups of the cavalry saddle. Inspector Sam Steele and NWMP at Beaver Outpost 1885 Glenbow Archives, NA 294-1 Inspector Steele (seated in centre) was known for his fearless handling of tough situations. The railway workers in Beaver had not been paid for many weeks, and threatened to stop work. Steele sent his men to calm the workers and get them back to work, but they ganged up on the Police and threatened to riot. Sam Steele charged out to meet the angry crowd and threatened to shoot anyone who disobeyed. The mob knew this imposing Mounted Policeman meant business, and they did obey. ACTIVITY PROCEDURES HOW DID THE NORTH-WEST MOUNTED POLICE RECRUIT THEIR SOLDIERS? Materials: Images (Choice of students), Formatting paper (11X17 - cardstock or firm paper), Pencils, Markers, Computer fonts, Glue, Map of Canada - 1873 Together as a group, read aloud the History of the North West Mounted Police: ‘The History of the North West Mounted Police’ The formation of the North West Mounted Police began on May 23, 1873, when the Dominion Parliament passed an act asking for the development of a National Police Force. The Canadian west had not yet been fully settled and between the fur traders, whiskey traders and Americans crossing the border illegally, Canada needed some troops to safeguard the borders, posts and land. Their goal was to bring several hundred troops out to the Canadian west and establish law and order throughout the area. At that time, the area of the west, except British Columbia, was called the Northwest Territories and was a vast and mostly barren land. The task of policing this entire area was enormous…much bigger than the Canadian Government originally realized. (Please see Map) In the summer of 1873 the recruiting began. ” The force was recruiting men between the ages of 18 and 40, of sound constitution, able to ride, active, able-bodied and of good character. The pay was set at 75 cents per day for sub-constables, $1.00 for constables.